440 / 494
439
this regard, we will make all relevant information coming to
our attention, available to you.”
14.7.
In the course of his oral evidence, Mr. Witter said this -
“I had reason to believe that BSI had complaints about
killings and those which took place inside buildings. It was
therefore necessary that they be treated as crime scenes
especially in light of allegations that the security forces had
been involved. I learnt that none of them had been treated
as crime scenes.”
14.8.
On 2 June 2010, Mr. Witter was constrained to write CoP Ellington
because it seemed to him that venues were not being treated as actual or
potential crime scenes. The letter stated in part -
“The matter is further aggravated by allegations made to me
today by residents of the community, that they have been
told by members of the security forces that they should
clean their houses: activities that would irretrievably destroy
probative evidence or at least make retrieval very difficult.”
14.9.
Mr. Witter mentioned allegations that Tivoli Gardens was the site of
alleged extra-judicial killings. Importantly, he sent CoP Ellington a chart in
relation to alleged crime scenes in Tivoli Gardens and urged the Commissioner
“to cause thorough investigations to commence forthwith”. Appended to this
Report at Appendix 27 is a copy of the chart.
14.10.
The next day, 3 June 2010, Mr. Witter issued a Press Release
expressing astonishment that “despite representations and recommendations
made to the Police High Command, the venues of certain alleged extra-judicial
killings by the security forces in Tivoli Gardens during the recent incursion, none
of them is being treated as, or as potential crime scenes.” See Appendix 28 for
the full text of the Press Release.
14.11.
Mr. Witter elucidated his evidence under cross-examination and
said that in the week of 24 May, he would have orally made known to the JCF,